Lets Get Serious About Big Ten Expansion

So all winter I have been reading about Big Ten Expansion. Some think that Texas and Texas A&M are in the Mix. Others are arguing for Maryland and Virginia and still others for Big East Schools or Missouri.  I think it is time to get serious and talk about who would really fit into our conference.

The Big Ten is based in Chicago.Its most important City is Chicago. Chicago is the largest concentration of Alumni for each Big Ten school.  Like Atlanta for the SEC Chicago is the epicenter of the conference when it comes to Alumni.  The other important Big Ten Cities are Detroit, Indy, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. 

Because these cities and regions are central to the conference's culture there are plenty of schools that do not fit into the mix.  Forget about the Tobacco Road Schools and the DC area schools.  There are tons of Big Ten Alums but these states around DC have nothing in Common with the culture of the Big Ten. 

Then there is the dream of bringing in Texas schools.  It is true that there are lots of Big Ten Alums in Dallas and Houston but as was presented in a recent Big Ten Alumni association study most of those Alum's Children do not go back up north for school because our Big Ten School's out of state tuition's are so high. 

So where does the Big Ten Go?  Where is the Culture Similar- large state Universities or privates with large Alumni bases?  The answer is pretty clear,  Missouri, Nebraska, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Boston College. 

Missouri is a perfect fit in almost every way.  They match up well and they would be a cultural fit immediately.  Nebraska has great tradition but the "N" stands for Knowledge and perhaps it is not a good fit academically, Syracuse would be a great pairing for Penn State, as would Pitt but Syracuse brings allot more New York.  Some say Rutgers would do this I think the Syracuse is better. 

And then there are the Catholics.  What if the Big Ten approached BC, Notre Dame and Syracuse?  this makes a 2 divisions of seven teams with each Catholic school in a division.  It gives us New York, Notre Dame and a Boston Presence? 

Imagine the conference

Big Ten East

Boston College

Syracuse

Penn State

Ohio State

Michigan

Michigan State

Big Ten West

Notre Dame

Illinois

Northwestern

Wisconsin

Iowa

Minnesota

Indiana

Purdue

How would the SEC Compete with that in Football??? For TV's??

Just Think about it?